The WNBA Finals are still raging, but the 2026-27 NCAA season officially begins in mere days, which means one thing: entirely-too-early mock drafts are hitting the internet.
Mock drafts are fun no matter when they're published. A big part of the fun at this stage is that it's not entirely possible to know exactly which players will be selected and by whom, and WNBA teams will certainly be making deals and trades that mix up the draft order a little bit. As it stands now, ESPN has the first round rolling out this way: Houston Comets, Toronto Tempo, Washington Mystics, Seattle Storm, Portland Fire, Los Angeles Sparks, Los Angeles Sparks, New York Liberty, Dallas Wings, Indiana Fever, Chicago Sky, Chicago Sky, Dallas Wings, Golden State Valkyries, and Minnesota Lynx.
There are a few easy-to-spot unknowns. The lottery hasn't taken place yet, so the exact order of the first few picks isn't clear. Also, it's not entirely unreasonable to wonder if the Los Angeles Sparks will exist next season, or if the team will be packed up and moved elsewhere. (Presumably, if owner Mark Walter manages to sell the team, they'll stay in the city since their practice facility is part of the deal.)
But besides that, this is a really fun mock draft. ESPN has JuJu Watkins going first overall, which is a beyond safe bet — now that she's back and healthy, all eyes will be on Watkins as she battles her way toward the Final Four this season with USC. The top five draftee list is rounded out by Madison Booker (Texas), Hannah Hidalgo (Notre Dame), Kymora Johnson (Virginia), and Mikaylah Williams (LSU).
So: Williams is an enormously talented guard and the Fire would be lucky to have her, except... the Fire really doesn't need another guard. The team will likely have a bit of a plethora of guards next season. It's safe to assume Carla Leite will return, though she hasn't signed a new deal with the team. She and Iyana Martin, who the Fire drafted this year, could end up sharing minutes. On top of that, Sarah Ashlee Barker will likely be set to return sometime in July, and the team also has Nika Muhl in that spot.
What the Fire actually needs is a tall, elite rebounder. The team has the cap space to get serious with a player who is already in the league, and could make moves during free agency. If they secure someone for that role, then the Fire will probably end up doing what they've already shown us they like to do: using that first-round draft pick for a European star who is unknown to American fans, but who can come over in a season or two.
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